THE PINI N
Serving the Tiger community since 1920
Student-edited paper of McKinley High School Vol. 97 No. 1
Honolulu, Hawaii
October 2018
Hurricane season is upon us Tropical cyclone season started early June, lasting until the end of November
Hurricane Lane brought cloudy skies to Oahu. Photo by Ryan Vanairsdale.
by Alexandria Buchanan, editor-in-chief The Hawaiian islands have had two close calls with Hurricane Lane and Tropical Storm Olivia. Both luckily did not hit directly. However, both caused damage with flooding and a wildfire. As Hurricane Lane, a Category 5 storm, threatened the islands, Hawaii’s Department of Education postponed all Oahu school’s extracurricular activities starting Wednesday, Aug. 22 and closed schools the following day. School and all extracurriculars resumed on Aug. 27. Some students, such as junior Jessica Nagasako, were happy about the short break from school. Many athletes who were looking forward to games and practices, however, were not happy about the cancellations. One of the athletes affected was Malachi Iaea, a junior on the varsity football team. “I wasn’t happy about the hurricane canceling our practices and games. Our game got moved to our bye week instead,” he said. The hurricane was one of two Category 5 storms ever recorded to pass within 350 miles of the Big Island, and many took it seriously. Stores were sold out of bottles of water, canned food, and many other supplies to prepare. To get ready for worst-case scenarios, McKinley High School was used as one of 20 emergency shelters. Ray Moody, the Oahu Red Cross disaster team captain, in-
spected McKinley’s gym to plan out how they would organize the homeless people inside for shelter. “We have evacuation centers just to collect people if it’s not a threat. If it’s a shelter, that means long-term, as we have on the Big Island [due to flooding],” said Moody. “[The shelter will be open] at least 24 hours. We don’t know what this storm is going to bring and we may stay longer.” Hurricane Lane downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it came near Oahu, leaving little to no damage to the island. Shortly after, Hurricane Olivia formed southwest of Mexico on Aug. 30 and made its way to the islands in September. Olivia also downgraded to a tropical storm but caused flash flooding in Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. “Although it was ‘way worse than Lane,’ since it caused power outages for certain schools and caused flash flooding, the conditions were nowhere near as bad as hurricanes currently happening everywhere,” said Nagasako. With two one month of hurricane season, maps show signs of many other storms forming that have the potential to hit all over the country. There have been no fatalities in Hawaii from hurricanes this season, but be sure to take every threat seriously, stay safe, and make sure you and your families are prepared during this dangerous time. RS 19-0275, October 2018
2 THE PINION News
The Pinion Staff Editor-in-Chief
Alexandria Buchanan
Assistant Editors Kelvin Ku Thompson Wong
McKinley hosts annual Club Day
Reporters
Kevin Arroyo Ashanti Brown Mari Faufata-Pedrina Amoreena Godoy Kevin Lee Trent Pham Hannah Rouillard Ryan Vanairsdale
Adviser
Cynthia Reves
Mission
The Pinion staff strives to provide and maintain accurate, entertaining and informative news for the students, staff and alumni of McKinley High School. We strive to show diligence in creating all our content so that we can make a positive contribution to the public.
Publication Information The Pinion is published by the Newswriting class and printed by Reprographics Learning Center.
The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814
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There are some students that seem to be interested in LEO Club. Photo by Kelvin Ku.
by Kelvin Ku, assistant editor McKinley High School’s annual Club Day was held on Wednesday, Aug. 29. Twenty-six clubs were present to recruit students, and the cafeteria was buzzing with activity. This year the Robotics Club set up a robot to showcase. The club competes in competitions and encouraged students who were genuinely interested and dedicated to join. “There is a new theme every year with different objectives to get points, such as specific conditions to build robots and playing games,” junior Travis Salyphone, a member of Robotics Club said. Chess Club set up matches so students could play against current club members during Club Day. Another long-standing club, the Leo Club presented again this year. Leo Club president and senior Eric Song said that the club’s purpose is to promote and develop leadership, experience and opportunity. “We do various kinds of activities such as volunteering at local community events and helping other organizations such as beach cleanups,” Song said.
One of the popular clubs was e-Sports club, which had one of the longest lines to sign up. “E-Sports is a Pub for students with like interests to gather and interact. We hold regular competitions for members. Our main purpose is for students to have fun together,” said senior Duy Nguyen, a member of the Esports club. McKinley’s math team also presented this year. “We cover various topics ranging from algebra 1 to geometry. There is testing conducted every month to decide contestants for the meets,” said junior and member of the math team Weishun He. Another popular club that presented at Club Day was Speech, which has a longstanding tradition at McKinley. “Speech is a competitive club that focuses on improving communication/presentation skills, strategy and teamwork,” said junior Aileen Chang, co-captain of the speech team. The annual Club Day ended on a good note, as new and returning students continue club activities.
THE PINION 3
Pinion celebrates 98th year News
The new Pinion staff of the school year. 2018-2019 Photo by Cindy Reves.
by Pinion staff The Pinion started its 98th year as a part of McKinley High School’s pride and tradition. The staff includes two returning students, who will serve as the editorial board and nine new staffers. Junior Alexandria Buchanan is editor-in-chief. This is her third year on The Pinion staff. She told the new staff not to procrastinate and at the same time enjoy themselves. “Try not to wait ‘til the very, very last minute … and be sure you guys have fun,” Buchanan said. In addition to procrastination, she said a lack of passion is a problem that can happen in the process of finishing the newspaper. “The worst thing is when people don’t write articles or, when they do turn it in, it’s really, really short and we can’t use it. We have to edit it more and add a lot of things and get more interviews and stuff and it’s really last minute to do,” Buchanan said. Junior Kevin Ku joined The Pinion last year as a reporter. This year, he returns as assistant editor. When asked about his expectations for the staff, he responded by saying he wanted everyone to get along and do their articles. “I just want people to write their articles, I guess, finish them on time and everybody is respectful to each other,” Ku said. He told the new staff they need to be patient and flexible.
“When writing a paper, it’s going to be a really long process … You might get stuck or decide that you can change the story you want to write about,” Ku said. The long process of publishing a story is guided by The Pinion’s adviser, Cynthia Reves. Reves has been working as The Pinion’s adviser for about nine years now. When she first started advising The Pinion, there were only four members, and the class has slowly, yet steadily grown over the years. This year Reves welcomes a class of eleven students. When talking to the new staffers, she talked about her position as adviser and how she helps them produce The Pinion. “I don’t write for The Pinion. You guys write for The Pinion … So my job is to help you guys come up with story ideas, find people to talk to, write good articles,” Reves said. “I hope that you guys will try to think of deeper stories, think outside the box, be a little crazy, be curious.” Ashanti Brown, freshman, and new staffer of The Pinion, had this to say about her expectations of the class and the paper itself. She listed a few things but mostly talked about how she wants her work to be. “I want to turn things in on time, know what to write about, make sure it’s neat,” she said.
4 THE PINION News
Welcome back
Tige
THE PINION 5
rs!
McKinley High School kicks off the new school year of 2018-2019 with its annual Welcome Back Assembly. Photos by Sabrina Williams.
6 THE PINION News
Bullying interests renew by Hannah Rouillard, reporter
Infographic by Kelvin Ku.
After the Hawaii Department of Education recently settled a $10,000 lawsuit for bullying, the question arises of where bullying is happening and if our school is safe from it. Natasha Taketa, a music teacher at McKinley High School, said bullying is not a very open topic, although it is still here. “I can’t say that bullying is not a problem in McKinley. I can say that I am not fully aware of all the bullying that goes on,” Taketa said. Taketa said the world of bullying is a hidden world, and that it happens at all ages, from family, friends, coworkers, etc. She said bullying has many levels. “As long as someone feels afraid or fearful, from words or actions, of other people … that’s bullying,” she said. When asked if there is a general group of people who are targeted for bullying, she said that anyone who does not follow the social standards can be bullied. “As long as there is something different about you, you are a target … It can be as simple as clothes or finances. Some people are bullied for being poor, and even if you are rich, you can be outed for that,” she said. Taketa went on to say that she thinks the school has a good bullying policy, but that the students need to help in a bullying situation. “The first defense is you guys,” she said. Lastly, Taketa said she will not accept bullying of any kind in her school or anywhere else. “Ever since I was bullied … I have tried to help others … When I was little, I had big ears. The kids made fun of me and called me ‘Dumbo’, it was horrible … I don’t want that for anyone,” Taketa said. Junior Victoria Nhieu said she hasn’t experienced or witnessed bullying at McKinley. “If there is bullying, of course, it’s a problem, but ... I don’t see it as a problem. I’ve never witnessed bullying,” said Nhieu. “I think that there is necessarily NO bullying, but I think it’s more like really rare. There is very little of it.” Spanish teacher Andy Tran said bullying is a problem everywhere but is not as prominent today. If there was a problem, he doesn’t believe they can safely get help. “I feel like kids are nicer because of social media because kids are so absorbed in their phone like they don’t even care,” Tran said. “They can’t tell anyone, because if they do the bullying gets worse…I mean there is a chance that if you sit down with the teachers and the parents… the kid will change his mind … but you’re also risking it,” Tran said. Tran said those who are vulnerable, quiet, or “nerdy” are usually targeted more, and offers this advice. “The solution to bullying is to build confidence. Because it’s no fun if it’s hard, right? … If you fight back, they don’t wanna pick on you, because it’s hard, it’s no fun… if you don’t fight back, like if you sit there and take it, or cry… that gives the bully power,” he said.
THE PINION 7 Features
McKinley Tiger becomes semifinalist for National Merit Scholarship by Thompson Wong, assistant editor
Photo by Thompson Wong.
Every year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation selects students with high PSAT scores as semifinalists for its nationwide academic competition. This year, one of McKinley High School’s very own has been named as a semifinalist in recognition of his achievements. The results were publicly announced on September 12. The Hawaii Department of Education named ten students from the public high schools as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship. One of the ten students was senior Jeremy Xu. “The first I heard about (my results) was when I was at the breakfast line and Ms. (Lorene) Suehiro told me,” Xu said. “Then Ms. (Leilani) Okuda called me in, and explained to me further about it.” Over 1.6 million high school juniors took the PSAT last year, automatically entering them into the competition. The highly selective standards of the competition allow only the top 1 percent of the exam takers into the semifinals, being the top scorers of their states. About 16,000 students in the country were named semifinalists. “Selection varies each year and varies by state,” college and career counselor Colleen Inaba said. “This year’s selection index for Hawaii was 220.” In order for semifinalists to continue the competition, they must submit an application, providing information like academic records, extracurricular activities, SAT scores, etc. A press release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation states, “A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.” Xu hopes that he can make it as a finalist for the competition. “I think my SAT scores were good,” Xu said. “I just hope I can get a good teacher recommendation and write a good essay.” About 15,000 semifinalists will advance in the competition. If Xu makes it as a National Merit finalist, he could qualify for opportunities like the $2,500 National Merit Scholarship, various corporatesponsored Merit Scholarship awards from approximately 230 corporations and businesses that sponsor the competition, and many college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards from about 180 colleges and universities. “It’s an honor, but it also means I have more work to do now,” Xu said. “It’s a big responsibility that I’m taking on.” The finalists for the National Merit Scholarship competition will be announced in February.
8 THE PINION Editorials
Get off The Oval
McKinley students have been told to stay off The Oval for years Photo by Alexandria Buchanan.
by Alexandria Buchanan, editor-in-chief The famous grassy patch in front of A Building, guarded by the statue of President William McKinley, is known to McKinley students, alumni and staff as “the oval.” Whether you have seen it as you walk to and from classes, or have been yelled at for walking on its sacred ground, all on campus are aware of its existence. Legends have spread saying if you step on the oval before graduation, you won’t graduate. Shirts donning the phrase “Get off the oval” in all capitals are worn by students, promoting this revered egg-shaped plot of weeds and grass on campus. The oval has all of this power and hype on campus, yet I can not understand why it is so special. Perhaps this tradition is a way to keep students away from the statue in order to preserve it longer and keep us from damaging it. However, the McKinley statue is over 100 years old. The significance of this historic piece is obvious and needs no ring of grass to protect it from those in the know. Once in a while, you can see visitors sitting on the base of the statue, unaware of the tradition of this highly regarded patch of grass on campus. If the statue needs protection, there would be signs or a fence to keep people off. Many students have already stepped on the oval for pictures or volunteer work as well. Before our football field was built, the football team would take their individual pictures on the oval. Students have had to volunteer for graduation set up and stepped across it to put down chairs. Those students weren’t “cursed.” All incoming freshmen are schooled at freshmen orientation
about the oval’s “sacredness.” However, upperclassmen who are new to the school may not know about this tradition and step on it by accident. Imagine being yelled at to get off this seemingly innocent plot of grass when you’re just trying to get to class. So much for a welcoming environment. Seniors get the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to walk across this patch on their graduation day. The day they’ve waited and worked hard toward for years. Rather than getting their names announced to their proud family and friends on this symbolic day, they get permission to walk across the grass. The tradition of staying off the oval until graduation seems to be our replacement for name calling, and I don’t believe this is a sufficient trade. Name calling has been fought for by students and parents, yet their voices are ignored while we spend our time telling people to get away from grass. Requesting others to stay away from the statue, rather than the grass, is a much more reasonable request due to the historic significance of the century-old piece. The statue sits in the middle of the large grassy area, and it would not be a big deal if students were to walk across it throughout the school day. Rather than using our voices to tell people to stay off the grass, we should take the time to listen to the opinions of our students. Our energy is being spent in the wrong places. the oval tradition is an inconvenience we have all been taught to not only abide but promote at MHS. Preservation of the statue is important. However, keeping us off the oval to make it an “honor” to walk across on graduation day as a substitute for name calling is irrational.
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Tigers need recycling by Amoreena Godoy, reporter Many feel that they are not able to do anything to help the issue of global warming. However, society is able to help the environment, economy, and prevent waste from going into oceans by recycling. If McKinley High School put recycling bins on campus, our school would be contributing to the community and improving not only our campus but our environment. Our school should set an example of preserving the environment. Yale University conducted a study that found the United States currently has a recycling level of 21.4 percent but if it were to reach 75 percent, it would be the environmental equivalent of removing 55 million cars from U.S. roads each year. By placing standardized bins on campus it will encourage our students to become eco-conscious and receive the benefits of a waste-free environment. Recycling bins on the school campus are an excellent way for McKinley to give back to the community. The organization Recycles Across America has found that recycling is a $200 billion dollar industry that could potentially benefit McKinley financially. Recycling generates more jobs and inspires new clubs for students to focus on the well-being of the environment. The main concerns for standardized bins may be the cost and students using it improperly. However, with helpful reminders in Tiger Media News, the Bulletin, posters, and by word in classrooms, the future of McKinley High School will look cleaner. Some may ask what the school will do with all of these recyclables or who will maintain the bins around campus, but we could get students or clubs to help out. Taking care of our environment and encouraging students to make a difference in the world is something that McKinley should have pride in. By widening our student body’s outlook, our graduates will always remember to consider the environment. To start this campus improvement the school will need to approve the placements of bins, and the bins must be funded. Proper care for the bins will require a class, club, or volunteers along with the effort and cooperation of McKinley Tigers, we are able to prevent waste from going into our oceans and environment.
Photo by Alexandria Buchanan.
Editorials
McKinley’s academy system by Kelvin Ku, assistant editor Students at McKinley High School should be given the option to not take an academy class. Since 2013, the purpose of academies has been to make learning more relevant to students by connecting things they learn in core classes such as English, math, science, and history to specific careers. The current system, however, does not encompass all areas of interest, leaving a portion of students dissatisfied. The three academies MHS currently provides are Business Arts and Communications, Health, Human and Public Services, and Industrial Engineering Tech. The three broad academies do satisfy a large portion of the student body. There will, however, be a portion of students that are interested in paths outside of what the academies our school is able to offer due to various limitations such as not having teachers with the credentials to teach them. Such limitations force some students to take classes they have no interest in. The school, however, believes that academies will allow students to explore to find things to be interested in. If the student dislikes the class they are given, they have the option to switch pathways the following year or early in the year. In doing so, students are at least able to confirm that they are not interested in specific areas. This is also the reason that the school makes academy classes mandatory. The reason essentially is that students with no motivation or areas of interest be forced to find things to be interested in. Despite such reasons, making academy classes mandatory is unreasonable. It is true that if one is unsure of what to do in the future, mandatory academy classes allow students to gain interest in subjects they never knew about or thought were boring or dull previously. In the same way, it is also possible for students to never gain interest. Some students may have areas of interest but those interests may not be offered at the school. It is true that the pros likely still outweigh the cons for a majority of the students. Proof of this is the annual survey to see if students are satisfied with the current system in which a majority says yes. In the end, though, a majority satisfied still means a portion of students are not satisfied with our current system. Students dissatisfied with being forced to take academy classes should not be forced to take them. Each of them may have reasons such as being interested in a career outside of what the school offers. As a compromise, the school can require students that do not wish to take an academy class to give a reasonable response to why they do not want to. These students would then be able to take other elective classes or another core class.
‘The Darkest Minds’
10 THE PINION Editorials
For once, a great movie adaptation by Thompson Wong, assistant editor
Art from EPK.TV
Based on the series by Alexandra Bracken, “The Darkest Minds” comes to life in a fantasy thriller film directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. As a fan of the novels, I can happily say that the film does a great job of portraying the original story. In the series’ universe, a horrifying disease called the Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration, or IAAN has wiped out over 98 percent of all children in the US. The children who survived the epidemic are left with extraordinary superpowers causing people to fear them. This prompts the government to collect all the surviving children and put them in labor camps to “reform” and “cure” them. The children are then classified by colors based on their powers, with Green being the least dangerous, and Orange being the most, meaning they need to be killed. Ruby Daly is an Orange who disguises herself as a Green for the six years she stays at the labor camp. When the wardens of the camp discover who she really is, Ruby escapes and is left to explore the world outside. Ruby eventually encounters a group of runaway kids: Liam Stewart, Charles “Chubs” Meriwether, and Suzume “Zu” Kimura. Ruby joins them for an adventure to find a legendary safe haven for kids like them. I was reluctant to watch the movie when I first heard it was coming. I was in love with the book series, and I feel that movie adaptations often screw up the original novels. However, I was surprised and happy to see that the movie stays true to most of the story, with changes that didn’t bother me (Chubs was originally a Blue in the novels, but was changed to a Green for the film). The film’s amazing plot and beautiful cinematic shots truly captivated me. Despite the film’s classification as a fantasy thriller, there’s also a heartwarming feeling from the bonding and friendships between Ruby and the runaway kids she joins. For the most part, the film does a good job of portraying Ruby’s relationship with the group. From the shaky start when Ruby joins them as a stranger, to rocky moments that they go through together, then finally reaching a point where she is trusted and becomes one of them. It’s a great gradual build-up to portray their friendship. I wish the same could be said about the budding romance between Ruby and Liam. Ruby and Liam’s relationship is rather instantaneous, with nothing in between to help build the chemistry between the two characters. Sure, there are some cute moments in the film to show the growth in their relationship, but it felt like they went from friends to being-inlove way too quick. It’s hard to believe their relationship with the film’s format, compared to the novel, which actually shows the gradual process in Ruby and Liam’s relationship. Overall, the film does a great job of adapting “The Darkest Minds” from its novel form. I’m looking forward to the sequel of the film, and hope that Nelson continues to follow the story accurately.
THE PINION 11
‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’ Sixth installment excites‘Mission: Impossible’ fans by Ryan Vanairsdale, reporter
Art from EPK.TV
Editorials
“Mission: Impossible - Fallout” is the sixth film in the Mission: Impossible movie series. In this installment, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) is against a group called the Apostles. This terrorist organization got their hands on two plutonium cores for creating nuclear bombs. Ethan and his team must stop them from detonating the bombs and causing thousands of deaths. The special effects, soundtrack, and action scenes make for a great movie. The plot is nothing short of amazing. There are so many twists and revelations, and many of them have very subtle foreshadowings earlier in the movie. Even with these, I was only able to predict a few things about the outcome, and it seems that the main characters dig themselves into even bigger predicaments as the story progresses. “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” has some of the most intense action scenes I have ever seen. The amazing camera angles combined with the dramatic soundtrack makes for an exceptional experience. The conflicts, especially the climax, are done so well that I felt almost as if I were in the scene myself. There were many moments where my heart was beating fast as I was on the edge of my seat, the entire movie theater seemingly going silent as the action happened. One criticism of this movie is that the plot is hard to follow. I understand where these critics are coming from, but this is more of a matter of opinion. Due to the twist and turns in the plot, it is sometimes hard to tell who’s who and what their role is. However, that might make it all the better when the truth is revealed. Even for me, sometimes the plot is downright confusing. Without spoiling anything, sometimes I wasn’t able to tell what the characters were trying to accomplish or what they were doing, even though it seemed like something that should be apparent. The confusion wasn’t too severe, and the truth became evident moments later. The” Mission: Impossible” franchise has really outdone itself with this sixth installment. The depth of the plot is unprecedented, and the increasing conflict and stress the main characters faces are presented in such a way that I felt like I was in the scene. The action shots are breathtaking, and that coupled with the music means an amazing experience in the theaters. Even though the plot might be a bit hard to follow, that is something that I would imagine is expected from such a plot, and sometimes that made the revealing moments so much better. “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” is definitely worth watching on the biggest screen you can find.
12 THE PINION Online Highlights
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